THE POLITICS OF MORAL STAMPEDE: Now that it's too late!

When we go on our moral stampedes, we tend to start hearing voices. We're sure we know what the voices are saying, especially if the voices belong to those in The Other Tribe.

Everything we think we hear supports our pre-approved tribal scripts. We tend to paraphrase with high confidence during our moral stampedes.

In our state of moral fervor, we also tend to swell with certainty about our all-around greatness. Here within our liberal tribe, where a stampede is occurring too late, one of our most prominent stars offered these peculiar remarks at the start of a segment this Wednesday night:

MADDOW (3/8/17): I've got the best staff, the best producers, the best researchers of anyone who works on any show on television. Better than any cable show on any network, better than any news show, period.

I put up the staff for this show against anyone. And one of the hallmarks of how we do our work, one of the things that has evolved in our own culture as a show, is: You read to the end.

The headline might not be the most important thing! The 15th paragraph of whatever it is you're reading, that might not be the news right now, but it might be the lead story tomorrow night. So you better make sure you read it, and remember it, maybe make a file.

[Drums rim-shot on desk]

And because we are like that as a group, we end up as a staff sort of competing among ourselves for, like, "Who can name the date of the next state Senate special election, and in what state, and what is the partisan breakdown of that district?"

[Self-appreciatively chuckles]

Or, "Who knows the partisan split of the Connecticut state legislature off the top of their head, both houses? Go!"

We're like that.

Tonight, we are going to deal you in on one of those stories about which we have a file. Can you identify on sight the person in this picture? Do not shout the answer if you happen to know...

Maddow proceeded to an underwhelming report about a person who plans to challenge Jason Chaffetz in next year's congressional election. For ourselves, we were struck by Maddow's profoundly peculiar account of her staff's obvious greatness.

What makes Maddow's staff so great? If we were able to follow her explanation, her staff is expected to read all the way to the end of a news report. They might even make a file! This "culture" explains their greatness!

We're sorry, but one of our liberal tribe's most prominent intellectual leaders really did deliver that speech. With apologies, we often think that no one in journalism resembles Donald Trump more than Rachel Maddow does. We think this is an important matter for liberals to contemplate.

(We also understand that that will never occur.)

In part, we were struck by Maddow's account of her staff's greatness because of her work this week. Now that it is precisely too late, Maddow has thrown herself into a deep dive concerning Trump-and-Russia.

Almost surely, that's an important topic. Working from long reports in Politico and The New Yorker, Maddow has been offering long segments whose story-telling, while captivating, often seems to escape the bounds of the texts from which she is working.

So it has gone the past two nights as she discusses Konstantin Kilimnik, "a Kiev-based operative with suspected ties to Russian intelligence who consulted regularly with Paul Manafort last year while Manafort was running Donald Trump’s presidential campaign."

We're quoting Ken Vogel's new report in Politico, a report Maddow has been adapting for her exciting tales over the past two night. As she has discussed Kilimnik and others this week, Maddow has been crafting tales as exciting as any told on The Americans. But she has frequently overstated or misstated her source material as she and her nonpareil staff have assembled these tales.

Will Kilimnik turn out to be important, or is he a nothingburger? Like Maddow, we can't tell you at this point. We hope a competent investigation will unfold somewhere, although that possibility is greatly lessened by our nation's current tribal divide.

We don't know if Kilimnik will turn out to be important. We do know that Maddow has frequently misstated her source material. We also know this:

If her staff read all the way to paragraph 24 in Vogel's new report, they could have made a file with the highlighted comment:

VOGEL (3/18/17): When Kilimnik traveled to the U.S. in late summer, he drew the attention of U.S. authorities, according to a Washington consultant with ties to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

And when Kilimnik returned to Ukraine after that trip, he suggested to Kiev political operatives that he played a role in a move by Trump’s representatives to dilute a proposed amendment to the GOP platform calling for the U.S. to provide “lethal defensive weapons” for Ukraine to defend itself against Russian incursion.

“He led me to believe that he was involved in the platform fight, but not necessarily through Paul [Manafort],” said a Kiev-based operative who travels in the same circles as Kilimnik. The operative added that Kilimnik could have been “just bullshitting like political consultants do.”

Did Kilimnik play a role in the crafting of the GOP platform? After reading Vogel's report, we have no idea, in part because Vogel makes no such assertion.

What Maddow didn't do, in two nights of discussing this matter, is mention that highlighted text, in which one of Vogel's sources say Kilimnik may have been “just bullshitting like political consultants do" when he (reportedly) "suggested that he played a role" in the platform change.

That word of caution, which Vogel chose to include, would undercut the thrill of the tale. Even within Maddow's "long form," let-me-tell-you-an-endless-story narrative style, there has been no time, in the past two nights, for such a word of warning.

Maddow did find time on Wednesday night to tell you this about Kilimnik:

"He reportedly later told people that what he came to the United States for last summer, around the time of the Republican convention, was to get that language changed in the Republican Party platform on the issue of Russia."

There's no such claim in Vogel's report, from which Maddow was working. Last night, Maddow said this about Kilimnik:

"Politico reports that he's now under scrutiny by U.S. authorities, including the FBI."

If her staff read to paragraph 4 of Vogel's report, they would have found Politico saying something different:

"The FBI declined to comment on Kilimnik, while the State Department did not respond to a request for comment. It’s unclear whether either agency launched any kind of official inquiry into Kilimnik, nor is it clear whether the interest from the U.S. authorities is ongoing."

In paragraph 2, Vogel seems to say that Kilimnik "came under scrutiny" last year. The story got better when Maddow said the FBI is on his case right now, a point Vogel explicitly says isn't clear.

Last night, Maddow kept saying and implying that Kilimnik "is a GRU guy. He's a Russian intelligence guy." She tended to slide this description into the present tense. You might want to compare that exciting characterization to the material in Vogel's pair of reports.

Without question, Maddow's reports have been exciting. They've dealt with an important topic—with the possibility that Donald J. Trump, and/or his associates, have been involved in improper collusion with, and service to, Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Her reports have been exciting. They've also been full of misstatements, overstatements and omissions, with one silly editing trick. Indeed, Wednesday night's show featured the most comical "Maddow edit" we've seen yet. Here's how that edit went down:

Maddow played tape of CNN's Jim Acosta discussing something he said he'd been told by Trump associate J. D. Gordon. At the end of the tape, some wonderful clownistry occurs:

Acosta's lips keep moving, but the sound has been edited out.

Lip-reading is easy in this case; the muted words are "back in March." As students of the "Maddow edit," we'll offer a fairly obvious guess:

Those words were muted because the story sounds more incriminating once those words are gone. (Gordon's reported story has always sounded shaky because of those three words.)

In a normal "Maddow edit," a piece of videotape is awkwardly cut right in the middle of somebody's statement. The awkwardness of the edit signals that the viewer is maybe perhaps getting conned just a small tiny tad.

In this instance, Maddow's staff was clumsy. They eliminated the sound of Acosta's words, but retained the look of Acosta's lips. This is part of the way we all ended up in our current dangerous place.

Maddow has been telling stories about a very important topic this week. We don't know how these matters will turn out. Indeed, we don't know if these matters will ever get resolved or clarified at all.

We do know this:

Now that it's monstrously too late, Maddow has gone on a bit of a moral stampede. With the help of her nonpareil staff, she's telling the stories we want to hear about those important topics.

She also says her staff is best. As part of the greatness of her work, she seems to feel entitled to lean on the scales just a tad.

By normal standards, such work would be viewed as "less than obsessively honest." If we assume good faith on the part of her staff, such work isn't hugely competent.

That said, this work is being done at a time of moral stampede. At times of stampede, people like Maddow, driven by fervor, tend to start taking interpretive liberties.

They'll tell you what various people plainly meant by the various things they said. At times like these, every interpretation will tend to please the tribe.

Maddow is doing this only now, now that it's too late. She and those who came before her spent long years asleep in the woods before this stampede began.

Uh-oh! In the years before Trump reached the White House, Maddow and her predecessors failed two major interpretive tests. These interpretive failures created the narratives which put Trump where he is.

Tomorrow, we'll run back through those interpretive failures, in which Maddow and her predecessors ran off and slept in the woods when they should have been serving the public. Now that it's too late, Maddow's fervor is thrilling our liberal world.

Maddow and her predecessors failed us badly in the past. To state the obvious, their laziness, and their endless self-dealing, are what brought Trump to power.

Now that it's too late, Maddow and her nonpareil staff are filled with moral fervor. It looks like they're doing good journalism. On Wednesday, she told us that, straight out.

We think you need a fuller sense of the way our devolving world works. We say that because people are dead all over the world, with many more people to follow.

The endless failures of our liberal world helped put Trump where he is. Our lizard brains say this can't be true. We're going to tell you that it is, although we'll be the first to acknowledge that you'll never believe it.

Tomorrow: Two major interpretive failures, back when it wasn't too late

Concerning misstatements and overstatements: There have been other such critters this week, concerning Kilimnik and others. Did you catch the foolishness Tuesday night about the foiled subpoena?

Are you well served by such "bullshitting?" Because these topics are so important, we're saying the answer is no.

My name is loveth anetor I livein CaliforniaTHE GREAT dr alexzanderhightemple BROUGHTMY HUSBAND BACK TO ME INJUST A ONE DAY.i got married 4months ago. Myhusband and I have beenliving a very happy and lovelylife. So as time went on, Ibegan to notice this strangeattitude that he waspossessing. He was now goingout with other girls, to theextent that he was no longerpicking up my calls, and hewas not even sleeping in myhouse anymore. I becameconfused and didn't know whatto do anymore. So ibecame worried and stranded,that brought so manythoughts into my mind, because Ihave never experienceda thing like this before in my life.So I decided to visit a spellcaster, to see if he can helpme out. So immediately I wentto the internet, where Isaw an amazing testimony of aspell caster who broughtsomeone's ex lover back,so Icontacted him immediatelyand I explained to him all myproblems and he told methat it will be very easy for himto solve, compare to theones he has done before. And healso gave me someproof to be really sure of herwork, and he assured methat my husband will come backto me immediately afterhe is through with the spellcasting. And also he told meto put all my trust in him and Ireally obeyed him.So it was 8:00 am on the nextmorning, when I was aboutgoing to work, when i receivedmy husband's call, and hetold me that he was coming backhome, and he apologizedto me, and told me that he isvery sorry for the pain thathe has cost me. And after somehours later, he really cameback home, and that was how wecontinued our marriagewith lots of love and happiness,and our love was nowstronger than how it werebefore.And these great man also toldme that once my heartdesire has been granted unto methat i should go andtestify of his work right here onthe internet. Right now Iam the happiest woman on earthtoday as I am writingthis testimony, and I want toreally thankdr alexzander forbringing back myhusband, and for bringing joy andlove to my family.so youall there having dificulties or theother don,t worry everything will be fineSo my greatest advice for youout there who your husbandor your wife is acting strange orbehaving the same waylike this, or you have anyproblem with your relationship oranything related to do with spellcasting, is for you to goand visit this great man anytime,and i assure you thatshe will be of help to you, and Iam 100% sure that hewill solve it out.once againcontact him on these emailnow..and your problem we be all over because I really trust him as the best spell caster in the world.alexzanderhightemple@gmail.com or http://alexzanderhightemple-com.webs.com

It's not looking good for the conspiracy theorists who wrote bad spy novels around a Russian hack of the DNC which happened at the same time as a failed hack attempt on the secure RNC. Trump will have a field day with this outcome for months to come.

"The Senate Intelligence Committee has been given sweeping powers, unseen since the Watergate era, to investigate Russian meddling in the US election. As its scope grows to include suspected ties between the Trump camp and Russia, investigators are starting to worry politics have overhyped the probe."

WASHINGTON — Over the last month, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in the Senate Intelligence Committee’s normally quiet hallway have devolved into a blinding media circus. Dozens of TV reporters and cameras line up outside the committee’s frosted glass doors, mobbing each of the panel’s 15 lawmakers as they make their way to the secure hearing space. Microphones and spotlights in hand, the reporters shout questions on Russia and alleged connections to the Trump administration.

A month into its sweeping investigation into the Kremlin’s efforts to undermine the US election, the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to answer all those questions — publicly, coherently, and fast. As the days tick by, they’re less and less sure they’ll be able to.Even some Democrats on the Intelligence Committee now quietly admit, after several briefings and preliminary inquiries, they don’t expect to find evidence of active, informed collusion between the Trump campaign and known Russian intelligence operatives, though investigators have only just begun reviewing raw intelligence. Among the Intelligence Committee’s rank and file, there’s a tangible frustration over what one official called “wildly inflated” expectations surrounding the panel’s fledgling investigation.

It was always the White Supremacy which gave us Trump (and a Republican Congress). The Russian hack thing was the second swing at misdirection by the MSM (AKA the propaganda arm of corporations), after the first one (concern about a corrupt government, LOL) ) went down in the flames.

Maddow's audience tunes in to hear something they want to hear, and adopts it into their increasingly distorted reality because it's coming from someone on the television. How can someone on the television be a liar and a clown? Their lizard brain emotion about Trump is overtaking them so they crave the comfort of self-delusion.

On Live Wire Radio (3/11, a rerun from 3/3) Matt Taibbi pointed out that Russians take it for granted that their leaders lie to them and steal from them, and think Americans are naïve because they seem unable to recognize or accept the same behavior from their leaders.Taibbi went on to say that the owners of news media today tailor their news to appeal to a specific audience. As a result, people listen to the news they want to hear and are spared from hearing what they don’t like. Obviously, Fox news and Rush fit this description, and so do MSNBC and The Daily Kos, to name only two.

BTW, I asked a friend in the State Department about the Andrea Mitchell ejection. She said it was hard to evaluate why that happened without knowing the nature of the meeting. Was it a Q&A press conference, or a “We talk, you listen” photo op? This story was not well reported.

No, Comrade DinC, you fucking corrupt GOP cheerleader. Please explain how you applaud a republican traitor to interfere with intelligence agency, FBI and congressional investigations, which are a long fucking way from being over, dickhead.

mm -- my point was a practical one. The Obama Justice Dept couldn't find evidence of collusion, so a Justice Dept loyal to Trump surely won't find such evidence. I think this is a reasonable forecast, whether or not improper collusion actually occurred. If Trump runs for re-election in 2020, some Dems will still be claiming improper collusion, but there still won't be any evidence.

If by "interference with an intelligence agency", you mean "replacing the US Attorneys", you know that this is routine. Our biased media treated it as normal when Obama did it and when Bill Clinton did it, but are treating it as a scandal when Trump is doing it.

Do I applaud Trump's action? I think it was appropriate, given the level of leaks and the undermining of Trump from within the government. It's unfair to the many honorable government employees, but Trump needs to replace all the political appointees in order to eliminate the ones secretly working against him. Even that step won't be enough. Chances are some civil service basis workers are also secretly working against Trump.

Your point was quite clear. You fully expect and wish for the politicization of the multitudes of investigations by pervert traitor pussygrabber in chief. And you're just AOK with that. Your fucking hypocrisy is blatant. I remember well how you fuckers demanded President Obama to completely grant your fucking republican FBI director complete and total independence in his phony email investigation, where he devoted tons of more resources to compared to his investigation of Russian interference in our democratic presidential election.

Greg, you should read that long New Yorker on the subject and try to read more about the subject so you stop coming across like a neophyte fool. We all need to be smarter in these times so please read and think more and stop being stupid. You're making accusations that you don't truly know to be true. Try to restrain yourself from such ignorance hence forth. Take a deep breath. Try to be cool. Have a good weekend man.

Hey guys, Get your ex back fast with the help of a real and genuine spell caster called Dr.Unity.I'm so excited my broken Marriage has been restored and my husband is back after a breakup, After 2 years of marriage, me and my husband has been into one quarrel or the other until he finally left me and moved to California to be with another woman. i felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. i tried to be strong just for the kids but i could not control the pains that torments my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because i was really in love with my husband. Every day and night i think of him and always wish he would come back to me, I was really upset and i needed help, so i searched for help online and I came across a website that suggested that Dr Unity can help get ex back fast. So, I felt I should give him a try. I contacted him and he told me what to do and i did it then he did a (Love spell) for me. 28 hours later, my husband really called me and told me that he miss me and the kids so much, So Amazing!! So that was how he came back that same day,with lots of love and joy,and he apologized for his mistake,and for the pain he caused me and the kids. Then from that day,our Marriage was now stronger than how it were before,All thanks to Dr Unity. he is so powerful and i decided to share my story on the internet that Dr Unity real and powerful spell caster who i will always pray to live long to help his children in the time of trouble, if you are here and you need your Ex back or your husband moved to another woman, do not cry anymore, contact this powerful spell caster now. Here’s his contact: Email him at: Unityspelltemple@gmail.com ,you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348071622464 ,his website:http://unityspelltemple.yolasite.com . Jessica, 26 years, Texas, USA.

My name is loveth anetor I livein CaliforniaTHE GREAT dr alexzanderhightemple BROUGHTMY HUSBAND BACK TO ME INJUST A ONE DAY.i got married 4months ago. Myhusband and I have beenliving a very happy and lovelylife. So as time went on, Ibegan to notice this strangeattitude that he waspossessing. He was now goingout with other girls, to theextent that he was no longerpicking up my calls, and hewas not even sleeping in myhouse anymore. I becameconfused and didn't know whatto do anymore. So ibecame worried and stranded,that brought so manythoughts into my mind, because Ihave never experienceda thing like this before in my life.So I decided to visit a spellcaster, to see if he can helpme out. So immediately I wentto the internet, where Isaw an amazing testimony of aspell caster who broughtsomeone's ex lover back,so Icontacted him immediatelyand I explained to him all myproblems and he told methat it will be very easy for himto solve, compare to theones he has done before. And healso gave me someproof to be really sure of herwork, and he assured methat my husband will come backto me immediately afterhe is through with the spellcasting. And also he told meto put all my trust in him and Ireally obeyed him.So it was 8:00 am on the nextmorning, when I was aboutgoing to work, when i receivedmy husband's call, and hetold me that he was coming backhome, and he apologizedto me, and told me that he isvery sorry for the pain thathe has cost me. And after somehours later, he really cameback home, and that was how wecontinued our marriagewith lots of love and happiness,and our love was nowstronger than how it werebefore.And these great man also toldme that once my heartdesire has been granted unto methat i should go andtestify of his work right here onthe internet. Right now Iam the happiest woman on earthtoday as I am writingthis testimony, and I want toreally thankdr alexzander forbringing back myhusband, and for bringing joy andlove to my family.so youall there having dificulties or theother don,t worry everything will be fineSo my greatest advice for youout there who your husbandor your wife is acting strange orbehaving the same waylike this, or you have anyproblem with your relationship oranything related to do with spellcasting, is for you to goand visit this great man anytime,and i assure you thatshe will be of help to you, and Iam 100% sure that hewill solve it out.once againcontact him on these emailnow..and your problem we be all over because I really trust him as the best spell caster in the world.alexzanderhightemple@gmail.com or http://alexzanderhightemple-com.webs.com